except when it was his own innings, which he seemed to enjoy during its
brief duration. Hester thought it dull throughout, so that Janet had to
depend upon Robert and the Rotherams for the best games.

Janet had very straight fair hair, and just enough freckles to be pretty.
She looked nicest in blue. Hester, on the contrary, was a dark little
thing, whose best frock was always red.

As for the boys--it doesn't matter what boys are like; but Gregory, I might
say, usually had black hands: not because he was naturally a grubby little
beast, but because engineers do. Robert, on the contrary, was disposed to
be dressy, and he declined to allow his mother or Janet to buy his socks or
neckties without first consulting him as to colours.

Among the friends of the family must be put first Uncle Chris, who was
Captain Avory's brother and a lawyer in Golden Square. Uncle Chris looked
after Mrs. Avory's money and gave advice. He was very nice, and came to
dinner every Sunday (hot roast beef and horse radish sauce). There was an
Aunt Chris, too, but she was an invalid and could not leave her room, where
she lay all the time and remembered birthdays.

Next to Uncle Chris came Mr. Scott, who was a famous author and a very good
cricketer on the lawn, and Mr. Lenox, who was private secretary to a real
lord, and therefore had lots of time and money. Both Mr. Scott and Mr.
Lenox were bachelors, as the best friends of families always are; unless,
of course, their wives are invalids.

Gregory, who was more social than Robert, also knew one policeman, one
coachman, three chauffeurs, and several Chiswick boatmen extremely
intimately. Robert's principal friend outside the family was a bird stuffer